Liquid separator and distributer for washing and potashing blue prints.



N0- 828,773. PATENTED AUG. 14, 1906.

0. P. PHASE. LIQUID SBPARATOR AND DISTRIBUTER FOB. WASHING AND POTASHINGBLUE PRINTS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 2, 190B.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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N0. 828,773. PATENTED AUG. 14, 1906. G. F. PHASE. LIQUID SEPARATOR ANDDISTRIBUTER FOR WASHING AND POTASHING BLUE PRINTS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.2,1906.

2 SHEETSSHEET UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES F. PEASE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

LIQUID SEPARATOR AND DISTRIBUTER FOR WASHING AND PQTASHING BLUE PRINTS.

Patented Aug. 14, 1906.

Application filed n ry 2. 1906. Serial No. 294,094.

To all whont it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES F. PEASE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Liquid Separators andDistributers for Washing and Potashing Blue- Prints, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to the treatment of blue rint drawings,photographic prints, and the li (e, and pertains especially 'to meansfor simultaneous y washing, toning, and setting or'fiXing the rint orpicture upon blue-print or other simi ar or suitable paper.

While this invention may be used independently and in connection withvarious machines or devices for spraying and washing bya liquid element,the invention is especially applicable to and is designed as animrovement upon the devices shown in my atents No. 786,596 and No.797,910, and for the purpose of exem lifying the invention it is shownapplied to tlie water-tray of said patents.

The various rollers and the rack shown and described in this applicationare claimed in my application filed March 15, 1906, Serial N 0. 306,198.

To assist in developing, toning, and fixing the prints, a potashsolution is employed,

referably of bichromate of potash, the result eing an intensifying ofthe blue and a clearing of the white, so as to give a much morecontrasty print and at the same time fixes the color, so that it is notliable to fade.

The rime object of the invention is to provide a iquid-distributer orpotashing device adapted to be sus ended in touch with a traveling sheetof b ue-prints while the latter are being washed, to furnish in-suchdevice means to deflect and carry off the washing element or water fromthe print before the latter enters the device, to furnish in such devicea spray-pipe to controlor regulate the discharge of potash or othersolution against the rints for toning or fixing them, and to furnishsaid device with a otash-deflector.

In the accompanying rawiugs, forming part of this ap lication, Figure 1is a side elevation of the ower frame part of one of my atent washingand drying machines, showmg the application of this invention invertical section. Fig. 2 is a front view. Fig. 3 is an enlargedsectional view of the potashin attachment. Fig. 4 is a detaillongitudinal section of the solution-spray pipe. Fig. 5 is a detailperspective view of the potashing attachment. Fig. 6 is a detailperspective view of the spiral-shaped tube. Fig. 7 is a perspective viewof the drag-rack.

The same numeral references denote the same parts throughout the severalviews of the drawings.

The washing-tray 1 is attached to the lower frame part 2 of theblue-print washing and drying machine under a suitable water-spray pipe3. A series of rollers 4 extend across the front of the tray and arejournaled in the sides of the tray: The basin 5 of the tray is providedwith a suitable water-outlet 6 and a rack 7, composed of strips 7 spacedby slits 7*. This rack sup orts the paper and limits the sagging thereofunder weight of the water thereon forming its first bath. A roller 8 ispositioned over the rack 7 to prevent the paper or blue-print sheet 10from being lifted out of the basin 2. ,it is drawn over the guideroller9 and said r ck to the rollers 4.

The device, which is termed the potashing device? or li uid-distributer,is made of thin sheet meta preferably in the shape shown in thedrawings, and its closed front 1 1 is provided with eyes 12 forsuspending the device in touch with the traveling sheet 10. The deviceis open in the rear, and the contact-points of the device with thetraveling sheet are only two, one of which is the knifeedge of the wing13, projecting from a solution or potash trough- 14, and the other isthe knife-edge of the water-deflector 15. The knife-ed e of thedeflector and of the wing engage t e blue-print sheet and keep it inengagement with the rollers 4. The deflector takes the water from thesheet at its knifeedge, and the wing strips the potash or other solutionfrom the sheet into the trough, whence it is returned to a suitable tank16. The potash or other'solution is forced by a pump 16 through suitablepipes 17 from the tank to a spray-pipe 18, hereinafter to be de scribedin detail. An apron 19 projects from the trough to carry the water fromthe device-front 11 onto the bluerint sheet, whence the water drains offat t e sides into the basin. The trough is provided with a nipple 20, towhich a pipe or hose 21 is connected for returning the potash solutionto the tank 16, and the spray-pipe 18 has a similar nipple 22, connectedto one o the pipes 17 by a hose 23.

The potash-spray pipe 18 extends throughout the width of the machine andhas erforations 24. This pipe is fitted witii a screw-cap 25, havingattached thereto a spiral tube 26. It is obvious that a partialrevolution of the cap will place the tube in such position relative tothe pipe perforations as to vary the spray as desired.

The functions of the potash attachment or liquid-distributer aremanynotably, it being located in the path of the water the latter isdeflected or removed fromthe prints during the potashing thereof, itcarries the deflected water back to the prints for their firstwater-bath in advance of the potashbath, it diverts or removes thepotash solution from the prints in advance of the second water-bath andholds said solution for return to a tank for repeated use, and it keepsthe blue-print paper spread out upon the rollers 4, with justsufl'icient bearing to permit free travel of the paper.

In operation the strip or paper sheet of indefinite length bearingprints is drawn upwardlv during continuous flow of water and potashsolution. The potashing attachment intercepts the water as the latterfalls from its spray-pipe, and said attachment carries the water byway'of the apron 19 onto the prints below the trough 14 for the firstwater-washing of the prints. During the passage of the water over thesaid attachment the prints receive the potash-spray, and as the printsexit from under said attachment they'receive a final wash or rinsing bthe water-spray. The deflector 15 takes the water from the sheet, andthe apron directs its return to the sheet, while the wing 13 diverts theipotash solution from the sheet into the troug 14. The wateraccumulating at the lower loop of the paper, Where it rests on the rack7, and the constant moving of the paper under this Water and its upwardpassage against the downward flow of water from the apron gives theprints a thorough first washing. The knife-ed e of the wing 13 removesthe surplus water cm the prints as they enter the potashing attachment,so that the prints have the first water-wash removed before they receivethe potash-wash. Then the potash-wash is removed by the defiector edgeand the said wing edge before the prints are finally washed or rinsed.

It is obvious that the said attachment may be used'in connection withother liquids or solutions for the treatment of various articles ormaterials other than blue-prints.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In apparatus for the treatment of blueprints with two liquids, adistributer adapted to be positioned in touch with the print to separatethe liquids and to direct them onto the print separately.

2. In apparatus for the treatment of blue prints with two liquidsflowing thereon, a distributer poised in the path of one of the liquidsto deflect this li uid from the print,

and means within the istributer to direct the other of said liquids ontothe print during said deflection.

3. In apparatus for the treatment of blue or other prints with twoliquids flowing thereon, a distributer poised in the path of one of theliquids to deflect this liquid from the print, means carried by thedistributor to return the deflected liquid to the print, and meanswithin the distributer to direct the other of said liquids onto theprint during said deflection.

4. In a blue-print washer having two liquid discharges to the print, adistributer having a deflector to take one of the liquids from the printin advance of the discharge of the other iquid onto the print.

5. In a blueprint washer having two liquid discharges to the print, adistributer having a deflector to take one of the liquids from the printin advance of the discharge of the other iquid onto the print, the saiddistributer a apted to return the deflected liquid to the print.

6. In a bluerint washer having two liquid discharges to t e print, adistributer having a deflector to take one of the liquids from the printin advance of the discharge of the other liquid onto the rint, a troughformed by the dlstributer and iiaving a wing to divert said other liquidfrom the print into the trough, and an apron depending from thedistributer to return the deflected liquid to the print.

7. In apparatus for the treatment of blueprint sheets with two flowingliquids, a distributer poised in the path of one of the liquids todeflect this liquid from and return it to the sheet, and a spray-pipe todirect. the other liquid against the sheet during said deflection.

8. A potash attachment for blue-print washers, comprising a pipe tospray the print with otash, and a potash-receptacle having an edge todirect the potash from the print into the receptacle during the passageof the print over said edge.

9. The combination, with a potash-spray pipe, a potash-supply tank andsuitable connections from the tank to the spray ipe, of a distributerinto which said pi e disc iarges, said distributer having a troug tocatch the potash, and a return-pipe from the trough to the tank.

10. The combination, with a traveling sheet of blue-prints, and awater-spraying device, of a potashing attachment positioned in the pathof the water-spray to divert the water from the sheet during thepotashing of the sheet.

11. The combination, with a liquid-distributer for print-washers, of aperforated spray-pipe Within the distributer, and a spiral tube having ascrew-cap Working in the pipe to revolve the tube.

12. A device for distributing an intensifying liquid over blue-printsduring the Washing thereof, comprising a pipe to direct. the liquid ontothe prints, a receptacle into which the li uid is discharged from theprints, and suitalile circulating-pipes connecting a supplytanlk withthe spray-pipe and with the receptac e.

13. A device for distributing bluerint-intensifying fluid to andremoving it rom the print, comprising a spray-pipe, a trough under thepipe and havlng a deflecting-Wing to direct the liquid into the trough,and suitable circulating-pipes connecting the device with a supply-tank.

14. In the treatment of blue-prints by a continuous flow of Water andintensifying liquid thereon, means for se arating the Water and ii uidcomprising a evice having an open bac adapted to engage the prints fortaking the said liquid therefrom, and a closed front adapted to take theWater from the prints and return it thereto.

In Witness whereof I hereunto set my hand in the presence of twoWitnesses.

CHARLES F. PEASE. Witnesses:

GEO. F. MULLIGAN, KATHERINE CULLINAN

